


The Demon of Burning Creek

by Sea_Of_Sound



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Demons, F/M, Ghosts, Inspired by Real Events, Paranormal, Poltergeists, Schizophrenic Main Character, Small Towns, Spirits, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:48:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26448082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sea_Of_Sound/pseuds/Sea_Of_Sound
Summary: After Mary Draper moves into a house with her boyfriend and his sister, strange things start to happen. At first, it's harmless. Then, she's convinced that whatever this is, it wants her dead. Mary has to find some way to get rid of it, and a spirit, for good.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter One

Burning Creek, Tennessee. Population: 197. Located at the edge of the Appalachian mountain range, the town of Burning Creek is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s just your usual small town in rural Tennessee, a boring yet quaint little town where nothing ever happens. I’ve lived here my entire life with my sister and her husband along with my nephews, never really leaving the town other than to visit my aunt and uncle in Clarksville. I’m fully convinced I’ll die here, just as I’ve lived here. I could take this town or leave it, and I would leave if I could. But for right now, I’ve made myself as content to live here as I can manage.

Today is moving day. Shiloh and I found a house out in the woods, over on a road that leads to the highway. It seems like a quiet place, perfect for a getaway (that is if you like guns shooting randomly and rednecks blasting country music as loudly as possible). We talked to the homeowner, a quiet, friendly old man who lives his life by the good book; I found the whole devout Christianity thing to be a bit off-putting, but not enough to keep me from signing the lease contract for the house. He then gave us an offer we couldn’t refuse and explained the situation to us.

The house was in poor shape. It needed a major rebuild, as the house was built in 1960 but had several things wrong with it. The toilet backed up easily, the floors creaked, the doors were difficult to shut, and most damningly, the back porch threatened to cave in - something which could easily injure a person. It sounded like the entire house was falling apart, which made me grimace at first and question my boyfriend’s choices in housing.

He told us this: if we could remodel and renovate the entire house before the end of the year, the house was ours to keep. Shiloh and I looked at each other, our eyebrows raised. Rebuilding an entire house, and we get to keep it when we’re done? That was a steal. We immediately promised to do our best, and the house was ready to move into before we knew it.

We didn’t mention it to the old man, but Shiloh is allowing his sister Ruth to stay with us. My friend Ian initially wanted to move in but backed out because he was too nervous. Not to mention he wants to leave this town behind eventually - something I can’t blame him for.

Shiloh and I moved the last bit of furniture into the house, along with some kitchenware and trinkets. We paused to rest on the couch, and we looked at each other with a smile.

“This place needs quite a bit of work done to it,” he said, taking a sip from a bottle of beer, “But I’m sure we’ll have it all set up in no time.”

“Yeah, the walls could use a new coating of paint,” I said, looking around. “And that bathroom! It’s hideous.”

“No kidding,” Shiloh said with a sigh. He set down the bottle, standing back up and walking over to a box of kitchenware. He put the pots and pans in the lower cabinet, whistling a tune to himself. I unpacked the box of miscellaneous items, placing pictures on tables and walls. I stepped back, admiring my work. Shiloh came in as well, holding me close to him.

“Looks like we’re all set!” he exclaimed, “Ruth should be home any minute. I told her to stop and get some alcohol on the way home.”

I looked up at Shiloh.

“Don’t tell me we’re having a party already!” I said with a smile.

“Yep!”

We laughed, and I went to grab a bottle of beer from the fridge.

“Who all’s coming?”

“Bill’s coming over for sure, and so is Andrew and his girlfriend Chloe.”

Andrew was a friend of Ruth’s. They had known each other since middle school and graduated from the same high school. Chloe came in from the next town over, and when she met Andrew while working at the local diner she hit it off with him. By the end of the week, they were a couple. Bill was a coworker of Shiloh’s, a laid-back but fun-loving type of guy. So this party was a small party, but sure to be a fun one. After all, this was our house now - who wouldn’t want to have a housewarming party to celebrate the new move? Before I could say anything, Ruth came in carrying packs of beer and liquor.

“Need help with that?” I asked.

“Naw, I got it,” she said in that drawl of hers. Her voice was easily recognizable; you’ll know it’s her by the thick Southern drawl and husky tone. She set to work putting it all in the fridge, while Shiloh and I sat back down and turned on the TV. We flipped it over to the news station, only to turn it right back off.

“Nothing good on there nowadays,” he sighed, flipping the remote onto the empty space beside him. He finished off the bottle, setting it on the table. Ruth came in, looking around.

“Y’all got this place set up pretty good,” she observed, “Still needs a lot done. I’m sure I could give this place a good paintin’, maybe some new stuff for the paneling.”

“The bathroom is my main focus,” I interjected, “I’ve got a lot of ideas for that.”

Shiloh chimed in, “And I’ll handle the new porch, doors, and windows.”

“That’s right,” Ruth said, “You always were good at buildin’ things.” She nudged him with a smile and said, “Time to put all of that to the test!”

I smiled to myself. I knew that we were going to make this house a wonderful home.


	2. Chapter Two

We played our music loud, or at least loud enough to not have the cops called on us. Andrew and Chloe danced in the yard, while Bill, Shiloh, and I hung out near the fire that we built. Ruth had gone back inside to grab some more drinks.

“So how’s that new job going, Bill?” I asked.

“It’s going,” Bill sighed, leaning back and gulping down beer. “I had this cool-lookin’ car come in the other day. It was one of those Ford Galaxie cars, you know?”

Shiloh and I nodded, and looking at Shiloh I could see he was now interested in the conversation. I looked to Ruth, who was bringing up an entire case of beer for all of us. She sat back down, grabbing a can from the box and tossing one to me before grabbing one for herself. She opened the can, and I did the same. She held her can out to me.

“Cheers!” she said with a laugh. We pressed the cans together before gulping some beer down. I looked around. The moon was full tonight, shining against the dark skies and illuminating everything below it. The fire burned nice and hot in front of us, further lighting the yard up. Andrew and Chloe were still dancing, their laughter clear as a bell. I looked behind me briefly, seeing the edge of the woods illuminated. I sighed with a smile, drinking more beer and listening to Bill and Shiloh talk about the cars and the place where Shiloh worked as a mechanic.

Something in my head told me to look back at the woods. I initially resisted, brushing it off as a part of my ill mind. But this instinct got stronger, and finally, I couldn’t resist it any longer.

When I looked back, I swore I could see something in the woods watching us, visible only by the moonlight and the fire. It was darker than dark, and it was imposingly tall. It wasn’t like the shadows I usually saw. It was something far more terrifying, and possibly far more dangerous. I didn’t want to ruin the mood, so I turned back around and pretended nothing was amiss. Ruth, however, seemed to notice something was a bit off.

“You good, Mary?” she whispered into my ear.

“Yeah I’m fine,” I lied, “This beer just goes right through me! Think I’m gonna go off into the woods right quick.”

“Right on,” Ruth said, and continued drinking like nothing was wrong.

Keeping up with the lie, I went off into the woods, but not to do what Ruth thought I was going to do. Instead, I tried to find this shadow that I had seen. Immediately a chill came over me despite the 80-degree weather. I paused, staring back at this shadow, which stood before me. It had to have been a full three feet taller than me, three times as large, and three times as strong. My heart pounded out of my chest, and I high-tailed it back out, but when I approached the party I casually walked back over despite the terror surging through me.

“Oh, there you are, Mary!” Bill said, “I was wonderin’ where you went off to.”

“Just had to go into the woods for a sec!” I said, though on the inside I wondered how convincing my lie was. Evidently, it worked well, since Bill then got up to go do the same (or do what he thought was the same). I picked up my can of beer again, chugging some down and listening to the radio play Nirvana. I thought about what I’d just seen; was it just another hallucination, or was this thing real? I wondered if this was why the homeowner randomly left 30 gallons of holy water on our doorstep. Shiloh, Ruth, and I had just shrugged it off as his devotion to Christianity, combined with a hidden sense of humor. I didn’t even think about it until now, but put it into the back of my mind, not wanting to disturb Shiloh and Ruth.

Eventually, the party began to settle, with Andrew, Chloe, and Bill getting back into their car. Chloe hopped in the driver’s seat; she was the only one who didn’t have anything to drink. She was a complete teetotaler, never having any interest in drink or drugs, but she still knew how to have a great time even without substances. Before this night, I’d only spoken to her once - and that was at another party. I was entranced by her, but I knew she was with Andrew while I had Shiloh, so I shrugged her off as just a friend.

I waved at her as she started the car.

“Have fun with those two!” I jokingly called out.

“Thanks, Mary!” she yelled back, pulling out of the driveway. I looked to Shiloh, who was putting out the fire. Ruth had already gone back inside, leaving me and Shiloh alone. I wondered if now was the time to tell Shiloh what I saw.

But as he took my hands and held me close to him, I decided to shrug it off, putting the shadow out of my mind and focusing on the slow dance we got into. The moon shone over us still, and the music still played, albeit quieter. The song ended, and we held each other with laughter in our souls.

“I love you, Mary. Never forget that.”

“I love you too, Shiloh.”

As we headed inside, everything seemed perfect.


	3. Chapter Three

Shiloh worked out back, assessing the back porch and noting what needed to be done; he figured that it needed to be rebuilt completely. He measured the wooden planks, meticulously noting each and every one of them. I admire his work ethic and how logical he can be. I could hear him talking to our dog, Charlie. Charlie was a labrador, and Shiloh had had her for a few years now. She came with us when we moved in, as the backyard was fenced in mostly (save for the woods), leaving her with plenty of room to run around. At night, we kept her on her chain while she slept in the shelter we built for her. Sometimes I think Shiloh spoils that dog, but she’s too cute that it isn’t a problem for me.

Meanwhile, I worked out front, bringing the hoe down into the garden and chopping up the weeds and dead plant life that had taken over the garden. I had big plans for this garden; I wanted to plant some lovely flowers that would hopefully bring some sort of life back to this run-down house. I paused, wiping the sweat from my forehead and observing my work so far.

Shiloh walked out front, closing the gate behind him.

“I’ll be back, Charlie,” he gently said to her. He came to where I stood, patting me on the shoulder.

“Looking good so far!” he said. I exhaled.

“And it’s freaking hot out here!”

Shiloh chuckled.

“I’m gonna run to the hardware store and get some wood for the back porch. We’ll have to destroy the one we already have,” he shook his head, “And I can already tell that’s gonna be fun.” He had a biting sarcasm in his voice as he said that, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“It isn’t funny, Mary!” he said in that same tone as he walked towards the front door. I set down my hoe, walking in with him. He grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge, opening it and taking a sip. I opted for some orange Fanta, feeling the stinging of the carbonation on my tongue. Shiloh picked up his keys, walking out.

“I’ll see you in a bit!” he called from the door.

“Okay, love you!” I called back. I heard the door close, and I sighed with a roll of my eyes. Not even a “love you too”? I shrugged it off, heading back outside as his truck pulled out of the driveway and down the road.

I suddenly became aware of a quiet meowing nearby. I looked around, and by the side of the front porch, I saw a tabby kitten. It was small, probably not even two months old yet, and it looked so underfed that my heart ached for it.

“Come here, little fella,” I said, reaching my hand out to it. I allowed it to sniff my hand, and it immediately bumped against my hand. I couldn’t help but giggle at how adorable it was. I gently picked it up, slowly so as not to startle it, and I took it inside. I rummaged around in the pantry and fridge, trying to find some tuna for it. I was lucky I found a can, and I put it on a plate and set it down in front of the kitten. My heart skipped a beat watching it devour the tuna, licking the plate clean when it was finished.

The kitten ran back over to me, jumping into my lap. I picked it up gently, looking at its bottom to see what it was. A girl!

“What am I gonna call you?” I wondered aloud, not particularly to the kitten, but not really to anyone but myself as well. I went with the first name that popped into my head, which just happened to be “Rosie”.

“Little Rosie,” I said to her. She mewed, and I took that as a sign of approval. I placed her back down on the floor, standing back up right as the phone began to ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, is that you Mary?” That voice was one I recognized immediately.

“Hey, Ian!”

“What’s up?” he asked. He had a soft, feminine tone in his voice, one that matched who he was completely.   
He was much different from the other guys in more ways than one, and as a result was the tail end of the pecking order at school. He was quite often mistaken for a girl, in his words; from an outsider’s viewpoint, he may as well have been a girl. But that never did quite fit him, and after graduation, he changed his name and his appearance. I have to admit it suited him far more than his previous form - and I even dated him for a month or so after graduation. He was a wonderful boyfriend, always making sure I was fed and had enough sleep, not to mention he was better than most other guys when it came to the bedroom.  
But he was also quite stubborn, refusing to change how he looked or behaved, so I called it quits. I feel quite bad now looking back, and I think I was a total jerk to him in the relationship. But he moved on, as did I.

“Shiloh and I moved into a new house,” I replied.

“Ah that’s cool!” he said. He said that a lot, and I wondered if he was programmed to always say that somehow.

“Yep! So what’s been going on with you?”

“Well I applied for college, and I got my letter in the mail telling me I got in!” His voice was filled with joy as he said that, and I couldn’t help but cheer for him.

“Where are you heading off to?” I asked.

“Eastern Michigan University!”

I nearly dropped the phone in shock.

“Eastern Michigan University?! That’s like hours away!”

“I know! But I’m gonna be much happier there I’m sure,” he said. That was another thing about him - he had an unwavering, childlike optimism to him. Sure, he did have his moments of pessimism, usually when he didn’t get his way, but otherwise he had this “can do”, “go get ‘em” attitude to him. I wondered if his mind ever got past 10 years old while his body moved far along ahead.

“I sure hope so, you deserve to be happy.”

“Aww, thanks, Mary.”

“So how are you gonna get there?”

“My uncle’s gonna take me to the bus station, then I’m gonna get a Greyhound bus to Ypsilanti.” I had no idea where that even was, but I was proud either way.

“Well, you be careful, okay? Don’t let anyone try to hurt you, and if they do, you have my number.”

“I’ll be safe, Mary.”

“You better - I don’t wanna see you end up as a missing person.” As much as I hated to admit it, he was far too naive, and he could easily fall prey to someone with bad intentions.

“I’ll be fine, Mary,” he reiterated, and I said to him, “Okay.”

“Well I gotta go now, I gotta pack for college and all that.”

“Okay Ian, you know I still love you, buddy.”

“Love you too, Mary. Later!”

“See ya!”

I hung up, shaking my head. That boy was going to get hurt one day. But as Rosie climbed my pants leg, I brushed it off, knowing he’ll be okay. Ian was smarter than a lot of people gave him credit for.

Shiloh called me from the driveway then, and with Rosie still on me, I ran out to meet him.

“So I need you to grab the stuff that’s in the front seat and carry it out back-” He stopped as he noticed Rosie.

“And who’s this little fuzzball?”

“This is Rosie, I found her right as you left.” He picked Rosie up, petting her gently.

“Hopefully Charlie doesn’t get to her, she’s super small and could easily be crushed or chomped.”

“Lemme put her back in the house, then I’ll meet you back out here.”

“Alright,” Shiloh said, carrying some planks around back. He told Charlie to move back so he could set them down, and I laughed as I heard them bicker. I headed in, walking into my room, and putting Rosie on the floor.

“I’ll be back, baby!” I said, closing the door gently behind me. As I walked back out to work with Shiloh, that nervous feeling came back again. I glanced back to the woods, albeit quickly before fear set in, though I didn’t let Shiloh know it.


End file.
